Carl Snyder
Encyclopedia
Carl Snyder was an American
economist
and statistician
.
Although he attended the University of Iowa
and studied in Paris
, he was chiefly self-taught. He began as a journalist; at the age of 20, he was editor of the Council Bluffs Nonparell, later writing editorials for the Washington Post. Snyder was also something of a science writer, authoring popular articles in magazines such as McClure's and the Fortnightly Review about, for example, Jacques Loeb's experiments on the nature of living tissue. He was a president of the American Statistical Association
, a Fellow of the American Association for Advancement of Science and of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and a member of the Institut Internationale de Statistique.
In the 1910s and 20s, Snyder was employed as a statistician in the research department of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
, under Benjamin Strong. The two men clashed, but still respected each other. During these years, he lectured at American universities and contributed to economic and statistical journals.
Snyder's response to the Great Depression
was to write his magnum opus Capitalism the Creator (Macmillan). The book, written in an eccentric prose style replete with fragmentary sentences, is part classical liberal manifesto, part elucubration of an enthusiastic statistical autodidact. It blamed the Depression on the Fed's failure to stabilize the money stock and the price level.
The nearest thing to a biography of Snyder is:
Garvy, George, 1978, "Carl Snyder, Pioneer Economic Statistician and Monetarist," History of Political Economy 10: 454-90.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
and statistician
Statistician
A statistician is someone who works with theoretical or applied statistics. The profession exists in both the private and public sectors. The core of that work is to measure, interpret, and describe the world and human activity patterns within it...
.
Although he attended the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
and studied in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, he was chiefly self-taught. He began as a journalist; at the age of 20, he was editor of the Council Bluffs Nonparell, later writing editorials for the Washington Post. Snyder was also something of a science writer, authoring popular articles in magazines such as McClure's and the Fortnightly Review about, for example, Jacques Loeb's experiments on the nature of living tissue. He was a president of the American Statistical Association
President of the American Statistical Association
The President of the American Statistical Association is the head of the American Statistical Association . According to the association's bylaws, the president is an officer, and a member of the board of directors and of the executive committee. Elections for the position are held annually, in...
, a Fellow of the American Association for Advancement of Science and of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and a member of the Institut Internationale de Statistique.
In the 1910s and 20s, Snyder was employed as a statistician in the research department of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is one of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks of the United States. It is located at 33 Liberty Street, New York, NY. It is responsible for the Second District of the Federal Reserve System, which encompasses New York state, the 12 northern counties of New Jersey,...
, under Benjamin Strong. The two men clashed, but still respected each other. During these years, he lectured at American universities and contributed to economic and statistical journals.
Snyder's response to the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
was to write his magnum opus Capitalism the Creator (Macmillan). The book, written in an eccentric prose style replete with fragmentary sentences, is part classical liberal manifesto, part elucubration of an enthusiastic statistical autodidact. It blamed the Depression on the Fed's failure to stabilize the money stock and the price level.
The nearest thing to a biography of Snyder is:
Garvy, George, 1978, "Carl Snyder, Pioneer Economic Statistician and Monetarist," History of Political Economy 10: 454-90.